I am Jiang Weiguo in World War II

Page 554

It's the same now, besides, the Nanjing Army is better at fighting modern warfare than the Japanese Army and has more advantages in war.

Before the Chinese and Japanese fleets set sail, the commander of the Chinese fleet, Zeng Yiding, and the commander of the Japanese fleet, Inoue Narumi, got together to discuss the battle situation. Zeng Yiding said: "Although the strength of the US Asian Fleet is not small, it still pales in comparison to ours. I think that US surface warships are unlikely to take the initiative to attack because of the huge disparity in strength. If they come during the day, our naval guns and aircraft will be ready to fight. If they come at night, your torpedoes will also give them a head-on blow. their submarines.

The U.S. military has about 30 submarines, a force to be reckoned with!"

Narumi Inoue said: "General Zeng, you don't need to worry too much about US submarines.

On the first day of the air battle, our bomber fleet attacked the home of the U.S. Asian Fleet, the Cavite Naval Base in Manila Bay, and severely damaged the U.S. Asian Fleet. Courage to take the initiative to attack us, and it is extremely dangerous for submarines to attack warships on the surface, Americans are greedy for life and fear death, and will not risk their lives like us!"

Zeng Yiding said: "I hope so!" He then issued an order to the light cruisers and destroyers in his own fleet to "take strict precautions against U.S. submarines".

The Japanese navy has always underestimated anti-submarine warfare. Whether it is an aircraft carrier, battleship, heavy cruiser, light cruiser, or destroyer, the penetration rate of sonar detectors and depth charge droppers is very low. According to common sense, light cruisers and destroyers protect large battleships. It should be equipped with anti-submarine weapons, but even the most technologically advanced Kagero-class destroyers of the Japanese army have very low anti-submarine capabilities. This is because the Japanese army advocates the idea of ​​​​"fleet decisive battle". As a result, its air defense capabilities and anti-submarine capabilities are generally weak, so during the Sino-Japanese War, it was beaten to disgrace by the planes of the Chinese Navy and Air Force and the submarines of the Chinese Navy. Although the Japanese Navy at this time had learned the lessons of the Sino-Japanese War, but No fundamental changes have been made.

The Chinese navy is completely different. After obtaining the destroyers from the Soviet Union and Japan, they immediately imported the most advanced German sonar detectors from Germany and installed them on the warships, and removed some of the naval guns to make room for the installation of depth charges. Jointly developed air-to-air radar and sea-to-sea radar. Therefore, although the firepower of Chinese naval warships is not as good as that of the Japanese army, their anti-submarine capability greatly exceeds that of the Japanese army.

At noon on April 4, the 1st Fleet of the Chinese Navy and the 1th Fleet of the Japanese Army officially set sail from Cam Ranh Bay. The group arrived at Alipa in the northern part of Luzon Island. After a heavy bombardment, more than 4 officers and soldiers of the 4nd Marine Brigade of the 2nd Marine Division of the Chinese Navy landed on the waves. And retreated with one blow, without launching a head-to-head battle with the 2nd Marine Brigade, the 2nd Marine Brigade easily opened up the landing field and captured a small local airport of the US military. Song Island advanced inland, but set up camp on the spot, repairing and expanding the US military airport while building fortifications.

After covering the landing of the 2nd Marine Brigade in Aripa, the fleet group left a few warships to support it. The main fleet diverted to Vigan in the northwest of Luzon Island, and then covered the 2nd Marine Division of the Chinese Navy in the same way before dark. The 12th Marine Brigade landed locally, and the process was still very smooth. Like the 12nd Marine Brigade, the 2th Marine Brigade did not advance inland after landing, but only captured a small local airport of the US military. Expand the defense in the ground, and at the same time expand the US military airfield.

The Chinese army conducted two brigade-level landings in the northern part of Luzon Island and the northwestern part of Luzon Island. The second is to test the U.S.-Philippines army and understand the actual combat effectiveness of the U.S.-Philippines through a few preliminary battles. The third is to confuse the U.S.-Philippines and make the U.S.-Philippines misjudge the situation. I don’t know what the Chinese army will do. Where to start the real main landing can also be used to disperse the strength of the US-Philippines.

This is the advantage of having the command of the sea in hand. One's own side can land wherever it wants, and can completely lead the other side by the nose.

After night fell, in the conference room of the Zhongzheng heavy cruiser, the senior army officers who took this place as a "magpie's nest" were holding a war meeting here. Feng Shengfa, the commander-in-chief of the Philippine war, was lying in front of the table and carefully looked at the tiles on the table. The map of the Philippine Islands on the Internet, the marker pen in the hand is marked on the map from time to time.

"Did the 12nd Marine Brigade and the No.[-] Marine Brigade send any reports of battle?" Feng Shengfa asked without looking sideways.

"No!" Huang Baitao, deputy commander of the division, replied, "At the beginning, the two brigades sent several reports, and the US and Philippine troops continued to harass them, but it was not a cause for concern. They did not send any more, and it is certain that at this moment, the two brigades are still only being harassed by a small group of enemy troops, and there is no more intense fighting or attack that threatens them!"

Chief of Staff Cai Renjie said: "Could it be that the harassment of the US-Philippines is just a smoke bomb? In fact, their main force is gathering at night and in the mountains and forests on a large scale, and then they suddenly counterattacked our troops who have landed in the second half of the night?"

Huang Baitao said: "The possibility is very low.

First, Luzon Island is still not small, with a size of [-] square kilometers, which is equivalent to Jiangsu Province. Most of the U.S. and Philippine troops were originally deployed in the south-central of Luzon Island, which is the area with Manila as the core. It is impossible to assemble a large-scale army in the middle of the night, and the mountainous geography of Luzon Island also limits the speed of the US-Philippine army's mobilization; second, our two brigades have not closed their eyes and listened, they have sent many scouts deep into the The troops are stationed within a range of dozens of kilometers, and the main force of the troops is also ready to fight defensive battles; third, we have not received any information on large-scale changes in the US-Philippines. Thousands of Chinese and overseas Chinese acted as eyeliners, and many officers of Chinese descent in the Philippine army also secretly tipped us off. We will not be caught off guard by the other party.

Even if the US-Philippines launch a large-scale night counterattack, we still have enough time to deal with it!"

"It seems that MacArthur doesn't like me!" Feng Shengfa threw the marker pen on the map and smiled, "As expected of a man who was the principal of the West Point Military Academy, he still has real talents and practical knowledge, and he has seen through my words. And tune the tiger away from the mountain!"

Huang Baitao smiled and said: "Master, we can't underestimate the enemy, nor can we look up to the enemy.

MacArthur is indeed a character. He has always been in the officialdom and career, and he has achieved a lot when he was the principal of the West Point Military Academy and the chief of staff of the US Army. The experience is actually general, that is, he was the chief of staff of a division during the last world war. When he was the acting division commander, the war was almost over. He never had a real shining point such as turning the tide in a certain fierce battle. .

In my opinion, MacArthur is the 'symbol' of the US military, it looks mighty and glamorous, but it lacks actual combat experience!"

Cai Renjie said: "MacArthur should have given up his plan to fight a decisive battle with us on the beach, and wants to start a protracted land battle with us inland!"

"A wise choice!" Feng Shengfa nodded. "With our army in control of the sea and the air, a decisive beachhead battle with our army is tantamount to death. However, fighting on land..." He laughed, "It is still our strength!"

Huang Baitao said: "Master, we are not afraid of fighting a land battle with the US-Philippines, but after all, the Philippines will be handed over to the Japanese. Therefore, the key to our battle is to reduce casualties and losses. We don't need to sacrifice for the Japanese. Too much blood, as for the time, it doesn't matter, we are not in a hurry, if it drags on, it is the Japanese who are in a hurry, we can just use this to ask the Japanese for more things, if the Japanese blame us for slow progress, we have plenty of excuses Well!"

Feng Shengfa couldn't help laughing: "It makes sense!"

MacArthur had indeed seen through Feng Shengfa's intentions. He judged that the two landings of the Chinese army were only diversionary actions to cover the arrival of the main force. Therefore, he ordered the main force to stand still and wait patiently until the opponent's arrival. After the main force lands, start a real battle with the opponent's main force.

At this time, MacArthur was still full of confidence in the Philippine battle situation, and he did not think he was alone and helpless, because he already knew the result of the Hawaiian battle and knew that the 8th Fleet of the Pacific Fleet had escaped from birth. He believed that the strength of the 8th Fleet Strong, you can come to the Philippines for reinforcements or go to Australia first, and then bring tens of thousands of Australian soldiers to the Philippines to join the war. MacArthur is full of almost romantic fantasies about this beautiful prospect.

For MacArthur's request, Washington did not expressly reject it. On the one hand, Washington's top management has not considered where the 8th Fleet will go next, whether to return to the west coast of the homeland for rest, or to go to the Philippines or Australia to participate in the war. On the other hand, it may be to encourage MacArthur, so that he has the confidence to persevere, and the longer the better, so he "spread a white lie" to him, not agreeing, but not rejecting, with a vague and ambiguous attitude, so that he can Let him have hope.

If Washington told MacArthur that the Eighth Fleet would not go to the Philippines, and that the Philippines was already an isolated and helpless island, and you had to fight to the death, then MacArthur would be mentally shattered.

On the morning of April 4, the Chinese and Japanese fleets sailed to Lingayen Bay, located in the central part of the west coast of Luzon Island. This is the scheduled location for the main force of the Nanjing Army to land.

Lingayen Bay is surrounded by roads on three sides. The harbor is calm all year round. The beach is gentle and wide. There is no danger, easy to attack and difficult to defend, and it extends nearly [-] kilometers from the harbor to the inland. It is a rare piece in the mountainous Philippines. The Great Plains, suitable for vehicles, is the most ideal landing place in the Philippines.

Before the war, Feng Shengfa took a fancy to this place, and MacArthur had already predicted that the Chinese army would land in Lingayen Bay in all likelihood, so he deployed heavy troops here to prepare for the battle, and he also asked Thomas Hart, commander of the Asian Fleet, to The fleet was transferred to Lingayen Bay to fight side by side with the army, and the land and sea jointly resisted the enemy.

MacArthur is the commander-in-chief of the U.S. Army’s Far East Forces and the Philippine Army Commander-in-Chief (the Philippines only has the Army at this time, without the Navy and Air Force), and Hart is the commander-in-chief of the U.S. Navy’s Asian Fleet. Hart, can only ask Hart.

For MacArthur's request, Hart felt very embarrassed. His fleet was not as powerful as the Chinese and Japanese fleets, and he suffered a lot in the Japanese air strikes. If he sailed to Lingayen Bay, he would die. With the same enemy, and because the Philippines is surrounded by enemies, the Asian fleet has nowhere to go, and can only fight desperately.

After analysis, Hart believed that surface warships could not go to Lingayen Bay, and could only send submarines to attack. He immediately called Major General John Weeks, commander of the submarine force of the Asian Fleet.

Weeks disagrees with Hart. He believes that submarines cannot fight surface warships. The specialty of submarines is sneak attacks, and the target of sneak attacks is preferably enemy civilian ships rather than enemy warships. Send the submarine to Lingayen Bay , is equivalent to storming the opponent's fleet, which is no different from sending to death. He is unwilling to let his subordinates perform missions that will never return.

Hart understood Weeks' difficulties, but he asked Weeks to attack. He said: "It is a fact that the enemy is strong and we are weak, but we cannot avoid war because of this. MacArthur's Army needs us. If the Army is in If we lose the land battle, where can we go? The north of the Philippines is the mainland of China and Japan, the west and south are the occupied areas of China and Japan, the east is the Pacific Ocean, and Hawaii is also lost. Do we have to shoot at the end? Surrender without hesitation?"

At Hart's insistence, Weeks reluctantly agreed, but at a discount, he only sent 6 submarines to participate in the battle. Before the attack, Weeks said to the six submarine commanders: "You only need to sink or even It is enough to damage an enemy ship, and we have an explanation to the army, and there is no need to fight hard, because this order is irrational in the first place!"

Because the chief himself was not willing and had a negative attitude, most of the six U.S. submarines that attacked did not take part in the battle as if they were dead. The most heroic performance was one of them, the "Sea Wolf", which carefully aimed at the Chinese and Japanese fleets. One of the larger warships in the group moved to the side, and then suddenly fired four torpedoes.

At this time, the Japanese fleet was entering the harbor and was preparing to bombard the land. The Chinese naval fleet followed behind. Therefore, the Japanese warship, the light cruiser Isuzu with a displacement of [-] tons, was attacked by the USS Seawolf submarine.

Four of the six torpedoes hit, instantly blowing up the Isuzu into a pile of shattered and burning steel furnaces on the sea.

The Ocean Wave belongs to the most advanced submarine of the U.S. military, and the torpedo used is also a magnetic detonator detonated torpedo newly developed by the U.S. military. Although the power of this torpedo is inferior to the oxygen torpedoes of the Japanese army, it is still very powerful. Was bombed and sunk.

The Japanese fleet panicked immediately, and all the warships threw depth charges into the sea in a hurry. After tossing for a long time, they failed to destroy the Hailang that was already lurking in the sea after they succeeded.

After receiving the report, Zeng Yiding sneered twice: "Tell these little Japanese to despise anti-submarine, are you suffering now? They are so procrastinating, wasting our time, and sending two destroyers to help the Japanese!"

The destroyers Vladivostok and Hailanpao of the 1st Fleet left the fleet immediately and drove into Lingayen Bay to participate in the battle to search for US submarines.

The two destroyers turned on the German sonar detectors on board and searched repeatedly in the sea area where the US submarine was suspected to be lurking and hiding. It didn't take long to find the Sea Wave lying motionless at more than 100 meters below the sea surface, trying to play dead and escape. Depth charges blasted it into oily junk floating on the surface and pieces of wreckage sinking to the bottom of the ocean.

The sinking of the Sea Wave made the rest of the U.S. submarines lose their courage to participate in the battle, and they withdrew from Lingayen Bay one after another.

After eliminating the threat of the U.S. submarine, under Zeng Yiding's urging, Inoue Narumi ordered the Japanese battleships and heavy cruisers to bombard the scheduled landing beach together.

Half an hour later, more than 1 officers and soldiers of the 11th Marine Brigade of the [-]st Marine Division of the Chinese Navy successfully landed on the beach, stepping on waist-deep waves and scorched black sand.

The person in charge of commanding the troops to fight the enemy in the area of ​​Lingayen Bay was Major General Jonathan Wainwright, deputy commander of the U.S. Far East Army. He was also an alumnus and personal friend of MacArthur at West Point Military Academy.

Wainwright has a strong military force. At this time, he holds "a hundred thousand troops", but more than [-]% of them are from the Philippine army.

In order to avoid too many casualties for his own U.S. troops, Wainwright deployed the best-equipped 11th and 17th Divisions of the Philippine Army at the forefront, and then ordered these two divisions to "play the spirit and courage of defending the country and fight against the invasion." The enemies of the Philippines were driven out to sea".

Wainwright's plan was to "give the enemy a head-on blow when they just landed and their foothold is not stable, first to combat the enemy's arrogance, and second to boost the morale of our own troops", but the ensuing battle made Wen Wright Wright has a deep understanding of what it means to "hit a stone with a pebble" and "collapse at a touch".

More than 11 Filipino troops yelled and rushed towards the [-]th Marine Brigade of the Chinese Navy that had just landed. Although the brigade had no fortifications and was completely exposed on the bare beach, it rose up and fought. The rain poured down on the Philippine army, accompanied by meteor-like mortar shells.

The battle lasted less than 5 minutes, and the Filipino soldiers rushing to the beach stopped, turned around and fled like ducks, and the chaotic flow of people almost trampled Wainwright, who was watching the battle behind, to death.

"Bastard! Don't run away! Go to fight! Charge to the enemy!" Wainwright and other US military officers waved their pistols angrily, and yelled at these Filipino soldiers who were completely mobs, but it didn't do anything.

Wainwright almost exploded with anger, because he could see very clearly that the Philippine army had only 400 casualties, but the two divisions were collectively defeated with 400 casualties.

Afterwards, Wainwright said with lingering anger: "Even if I train monkeys to fight, I'm afraid it's better than training these Filipinos to fight. Letting Filipinos fight is like letting pigs climb trees!"

On the coast, the two heads of the 11th Marine Brigade asked the brigade commander Zhang Xuzi: "The Philippine army has fled. Do you need to pursue it?"

"Pursuit?" Zhang Xuzi sneered, "What's the difference between those Filipino soldiers and civilians? What's the purpose of chasing them? Killing them is a waste of ammunition, and arresting them is a waste of food.

Filipinos are worthless, they are not even worth wasting our bullets, just drive them away!"

Because the Philippine army has no combat effectiveness and the "value" is too low, the Chinese army is too lazy to pursue them.

Wainwright, who was extremely disappointed, had to use the US military to join the war because the Philippine army was completely vulnerable.

Chapter 639 Attacking the Philippines (3)

Lingayen Bay is surrounded by land on three sides, and the land is nearly 2 kilometers deep with wild farmland. This kind of terrain is the best place for tank troops to attack. Therefore, after discussing with Stilwell, Wainwright decided to send Patton The [-]nd Armored Division went to the top.

The 2nd Armored Division is one of the few armored units of the U.S. Army at this time. Because of the prevalence of isolationism, the expansion and modernization of the U.S. Army has been delayed, and the U.S. Army, like the Japanese Army, has a higher status of the Navy than the Army. The size of the U.S. Army at this time is unbelievably small, with only a few hundred thousand people (but the strong national power of the United States can allow the U.S. Army to expand to millions of people within a year and are all armed to the teeth). It is also relatively backward in terms of war thinking and military concepts, and its cognition and use of mechanized troops is far inferior to that of the German, Chinese, or even Soviet and Japanese troops.

毋庸置疑，这个第2装甲师是美国陆军此时的精华所在，该师装备有中型坦克（主要是m3“李”和m3“格兰特”，没有谢尔曼，谢尔曼此时还没有投入大规模量产）100多辆、轻型坦克（主要是m2、m3）270多辆、榴弹炮约40门、迫击炮和反坦克炮约100门、汽车1500多辆，实力雄厚。

The commander of the 2nd Armored Division, George Smith Patton, is a brave, tenacious, resolute, and aggressive "combatant" with a bad temper and a foul mouth, but he is not just "American Zhang Fei". Conspiracy, bold and careful.

Regarding the request of Wainwright and Stilwell, Patton refused. His reason was: the enemy has command of the air and sea. If the 2nd Armored Division rushed over like this, both the beachhead and the plains around the harbor would be bare. Therefore, the 2nd Armored Division must be bombarded by enemy bombers and naval guns, and it will be blown into parts by enemy bombs and artillery shells before it engages with the enemy's landing force.

Patton revised the attack plan of the two officers: it was noon, and they waited patiently until night before attacking. At that time, the night would make the enemy planes unable to play a role. As long as the US tanks quickly rushed into the Chinese army's landing force and mixed with the opponent, The opponent's naval guns will not be able to fire.

Wainwright agreed, but Stilwell was a little worried. He pointed to the sky: "George, did you see that? Their reconnaissance plane has been circling above our heads!"

At this time, the Chinese and Japanese coalition forces have seized two small and medium-sized US military airfields on Luzon Island, but they need to be repaired and cannot be put into use at this time. Therefore, the Chinese and Japanese coalition forces’ planes come from three places. One is the Japanese military airports in Tainan and Indonesia. , the second is the Chinese Air Force airport in southern Vietnam and northeast Brunei (not yet operational), and the third is the aircraft carrier Longxiang of the Chinese Navy. The Longxiang can carry 40 aircraft, which is not a large number. The U.S. fleet did not dare to go to war, and even if it did, it could be resolved by the Japanese fleet. Therefore, the Ryujō does not need to carry dive bombers and torpedo attack aircraft, but only needs to carry fighter jets for self-defense and reconnaissance aircraft for reconnaissance.

Under the escort of carrier-based fighter jets, more than a dozen carrier-based reconnaissance planes took turns to take off from the Ryujo to continuously reconnaissance the U.S. troops on land around Lingayen Bay.

These carrier-based reconnaissance planes of the Longxiang are the "eyes in the air" of the Chinese army's ground forces, and they have played a great role. However, the fly in the ointment is that the number of reconnaissance planes is too small, the coverage is not large, the search distance is not far, and there are many dead spots. and unknown areas.

Patton looked at a Chinese Navy reconnaissance plane in the sky, showing a contemptuous expression: "It happens to be usable!"

Half an hour later, Feng Shengfa received a report from a carrier-based reconnaissance plane: "A large number of US tanks and vehicles appeared in the area south of Binaro on the land plain in the eastern part of Lingayen Bay, and are advancing northward, gradually entering the central and western part of Luzon Island. In the mountain forest area, it can be confirmed that this US army is the 2nd Armored Division!"

"The 2nd Armored Division didn't come to Lingayen Bay to fight? Instead, it went north?" Feng Shengfa was a little puzzled. He looked at the map, "Baguio is more than 30 kilometers north from the south of Binalo, and more than 50 kilometers north. It is San Fernando, and more than 60 kilometers to the north is Vigan, where the 12th Marine Brigade of our army landed.

Is the US military going to attack the 12th Marine Brigade? "

Cai Renjie said: "It's about 150 kilometers from Binalonan to Vigan, including the twists and turns of the mountain road, that's more than [-] kilometers.

It is noon now, and there are still fifteen hours until dawn tomorrow, fifteen hours, two hundred kilometers, enough!" He looked at Feng Shengfa, "It is very likely that the U.S. military is avoiding the real and attacking the weak, and attacking the 12th Marine Brigade. up!"

Huang Baitao said: "It is also possible that they are attacking east and west, turning back in the middle of the night and attacking our troops in Lingayen Bay!"

Feng Shengfa pondered for a while: "Can you call the Japanese bomber group to bomb the US 2nd Armored Division?"

Cai Renjie shook his head: "It's too late, the U.S. military has already entered the mountain forest, and it is difficult for bombers to bomb!"

Feng Shengfa thought for a while and said: "In this battle, most of the advantages are on our side. If we are still attacked by the US military, it will be too ugly. What's more, the Philippines was fought by us for the Japanese, so there is no need to lose There is too much blood, I think it is better to be safe, divide the Japanese fleet into two, half go to Vigan for reinforcements, and half stay in Lingayen Bay, ready to provide artillery reinforcements for our landing troops at any time.

The Japanese fleet will not be used if it is not used.

In addition, inform the 12th Marine Brigade and the 11th Marine Brigade to strengthen night defenses and beware of sneak attacks by US mechanized troops!"

At midnight, several local overseas Chinese in San Fernando who had been developed as eyeliners by the Maritime Statistics Bureau sent intelligence through a secret radio station: "A large number of US tanks and vehicles passed through San Fernando and advanced all the way north."

This information made many officers of the Nanjing Army believe more and more that the US 2nd Armored Division was going north to fight Vigan, but Feng Shengfa did not relax his vigilance against Lingayen Bay, and he once again notified the 11th Marine Brigade to strengthen its defenses.

After receiving Feng Shengfa's notice and instructions, Zhang Xuzi, the brigade commander of the 11th Marine Brigade, didn't take it seriously. He felt that "Mr. Feng thinks too much of those Yankees who only know how to eat, drink, enjoy a decadent life, and don't know how to fight at all."

The Battle of Hawaii was over at this time, and the 50th Brigade of the Nanjing Army and the 1st Marine Brigade of the Navy, which captured Oahu, quickly reported the results of the battle and the detailed battle process to the Wuhan headquarters, and the Wuhan headquarters conveyed it to the various departments of the Central South Expeditionary Force , because the 50th Brigade of the Nanjing Army and the 1st Marine Brigade of the Navy were the first Chinese troops to fight the U.S. Army, and the Battle of Oahu was also the first time that the Chinese and U.S. troops had formally fought each other. Experience is very important. What is the combat effectiveness of the US military?How is the equipment?How is the combat quality?How is the combat technique?The Chinese army is not clear about these, but with the experience of the 50th Brigade and the 1st Marine Brigade, the Chinese army is clear.

Zhang Xuzi is the brigade commander of the 1th Marine Brigade of the 11st Marine Division. He carefully read the report of the old officer, the commander of the 1st Marine Division and the commander of the 1st Marine Brigade of the 1st Marine Division. , wounded, captured, and surrendered more than 1500 U.S. troops." "The U.S. military's equipment is acceptable, but its actual combat experience is seriously lacking, its combat skills are very primitive, its combat quality is very lazy, and its overall combat effectiveness is not high." "The U.S. military's fighting spirit is relatively weak. When the ammunition is exhausted, there is no reinforcement, and the command is lost, they basically choose to surrender. The U.S. military is very cooperative and rarely engages in resistance.”